Toy air-ship.



PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

- L. H. HUNTER.

TOY AIR SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21, 1904.

5 M a v u s UNITED STATES- Patented April is, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

TOY AIR-SHIP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,515, dated April 18, 1905.

Application filed April 21, 1904. Serial No, 204,270.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LESTER H. HUNTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Air-Ships; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a motor-propelled toy air-ship which is simple of construction, efficient in use, inexpensive of production, and designed to afford amusement, interest, and instruction to old and young.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a toy air-ship embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the frame and drive mechanism. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinal section on line 4 4 of Fig 3.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a suitable floating body, such as a balloon, which may be of any shape and color, but as here shown is of cigar shape. Cemented to the sides of this body are folded strips 2 of tape, to which are attached pendent hangers 3, preferably made of light aluminium wire.

The hangers 3 support a frame 4, preferably conforming in shape to the body 1 and made of light aluminium wire. Arranged at the ends of this frame are propellers 5, made of light stiff cardboard and aluminium wire. These propellers are carried by short shafts 6 and are adapted to be operated through the medium of a reaction-motor. This motor in the form shown comprises two rubber bands 7 and 8, connected at their outer ends to the shafts 6 and at their inner ends to a shaft 9, journaled in a substantially triangular aluminium casing 10, suitably secured and transversely disposed at the center of the frame 4.-

On the shaft 9 is a pinion 11, which is in mesh with a driving-gear 12, keyed or otherwise secured on a shaft 13, journaled in said casing, said shaft having an attached key 14:, by which it may be turned to rotate the pinion and wind or twist the bands 7 and 8 in one direction to place them under tension, so that they will upon reacting impart motion to the shafts 6, and consequently to the propellers .5.

A catch 15 is provided to hold the windinggear 12 from motion while'the bands 7 and 8 are reacting, and catches 16 are provided to hold the propellers 5 from motion while the bands are being wound up.

In the operation of the device it will be understood that the propellers are first secured from motion by their catches 16 and the winding-gear 12 operated to twist the bands 7 and 8, after which the catch 15 is connected to lock the gear 12 against motion and the catches 16 of the propellers released to allow the latter to revolve under the action of the bands 7 and 8. During the action of the propellers 5 the ship will be placed in motion, causing consid- 'erable interest and amusement to the operator and beholders.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A toy air-ship comprising a buoyant body, a frame suspended therefrom, propeller-wheel shafts journaled in the opposite ends of said frame, propeller-wheels at the ends of said shafts, elastic bands connected to the propeller-shafts, a geared winding mechanism secured centrally to the frame for twisting the elastic bands, a holding device for the winding mechanism, and catches for holding the propeller-shafts while the elastic bands are being twisted, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit nesses.

LESTER H. HUNTER. 

